Kara-Khitan Khanate (1128-1213). Naiman and Khereid uluses

02 August 2013

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The formation of the Kara-Khitan Khanate was closely intertwined
with the Central Asian Khitan tribes. The Khitans (or Khitai, Kitan, Kidan) were
a nomadic Mongolian people, originally from Mongolia and Manchuria from the 4th
century. They lived to the north of China, in the territory of Manchuria and
Ussuri krai. In 924, the vast territory from the Altai Mountains to the Pacific
Ocean was under the rule of the Khitan state, or Liao Dynasty.

In 1125 combined forces of China and Jurchen state ended
the Liao Dynasty. Part of the Khitans submitted to the Jurchens, and the other
group moved through the lands of the Yenisei Kyrgyz to the Emil River, and
there established the Khitan state. Since their authority was asserted over a
part of Semirechye, the Khitans became absorbed into the local Turkic
population and were called the Kara-Khitans.

In 1128 the ruler of Balasagun from the Kara-Khanid
dynasty called the Kara-Khitans to fight against the Kangly and Karluks. Yelu
Dashi conquered Balasagun from the Kara-Khanid ruler and founded his own state
in Zhetysu. He organized ​​several military campaigns, extending the boundaries
of the state from the Yenisei to the Talas. After that the Kara-Khitans
conquered the Kangly and annexed East Turkestan. In 1137 in Khujand they
defeated Mahmud Khan, the ruler of Transoxiana, and in 1141 at the Battle of
Qatwan near Samarkand destroyed the Seljuk and Kara-Khanid army. The Kara-Khitans
gained control over Bukhara and the entire central Transoxiana. A special squad,
moved towards Khwarezm, forced the Khwarezmshah to pay them an annual tribute
of 3000 gold dinars. Semirechye, South Kazakhstan, Transoxiana and East
Turkestan were annexed by the Kara-Khitan Khanate. The Kara Khanid dynasty
became their vassals.

The head of state held the title of Gurkhan. The capital
was Balasagun. In the army there was strict discipline. The country had a
system of taxation, when each house had to pay one dinar. Gurkhan did not give land
to his entourage as he feared their strengthening and rivalry. Under their
direct control was the southern part of Zhetysu, north-eastern region of Isfijab
and Kulja. Part of Zhetisu north of the Ili belonged to the Karluk khans. Gurkhan’s
representatives always attended in their environment. First Gurkhan died in
1143. In 1208 the Naimans led by Kuchlug fled from Genghis Khan to the
Kara-Khitans.

The Naiman Ulus

In the 12th century the Naiman confederation, as well
as the Khereids and Merkits, was one of the major Central Asian states. The
question of the origin and early history of Naimans is very complicated. It is
possible that they had a mixed ethnic composition, although the latest
information in the scientific literature supports the view of their Turkic
speaking. It is believed that the word "Naiman" in Mongolian language
means "eight", as the number of tribes that were part of the
confederation. The researchers identify the tribal union "Sekiz Oghuz",
mentioned in the ancient inscriptions, with the Naimans. In the 8th century the
Oghuz tribal union settled in the land from the Orkhon River to the upper
Irtysh. Subsequently the Naiman tribes also lived there.

The neighbors of the Naimans in the west were the Kangly
and Kipchaks, who lived in the upper reaches of the Irtysh River, in the north –
the Yenisei Kyrgyz, in the east – the Khereids lived in Eastern Mongolia, and
in the south - the Uighurs, who were the vassals of the Khitans. The Naimans
had strong ethno-political and cultural ties with the surrounding nomadic and sedentary
agricultural ethnic groups, especially with the Kangly. Several groups of
Kangly and Kipchaks settled in the Naiman lands.

Peaceful relations alternated with periods of strife
with the strongest and most powerful tribes of the Khereid Ulus. After the
collapse of the Khitan Khanate in 1125, in Central Asia several new states
(uluses) were established. The leading power transferred to the Khereid khans.

The Khereid Ulus

The earliest information about the Khereids was
mentioned in written sources, dating from the beginning of the 10th century,
and related to the Zubu tribes. The Khereid confederation ethnically consisted
of Turkic and Mongol tribes. To the west of the Khereids lived the Naimans, in the
north – the Merkits, in the east - the Tatars, and in the south – the Tanguts.
The leaders of the Khereid tribes had two residences, the north one in the city
of Hatun-balyk on the Orkhon River, and the south one to the north of the Yellow
River. The main residence on the Orkhon had a favorable geographical position
and was located on an important part of the trade route. It was the place of concentration
of merchants and different missionaries from neighboring and distant countries.
In 1007 the Khereids and Naimans adopted Nestorian Christianity. It is obvious
that the Khereids were under some influence of Uighur culture.

In the second half 12th century the Khereid Ulus under
Toghrul Khan covered the territory from the upper reaches of the Selenga River
in the north to the Yellow River in the south, from the Khangai Mountains in
the west to the Khalkyn-Gol in the east. The Khereids maintained close
political and ethno-cultural relations with the Naimans, Kangly, Uighurs,
Merkits, Mongols, Kara Khitans and Tanguts. At the court of Toghrul Khan the
future rulers and leaders of the steppe tribes were brought up, particularly
Temujin (Genghis Khan) and Jamukha.

The Khereid ruler Toghrul Khan recruited the
representatives of the Kangly aristocracy. It seems that there was a genetic link
between the Khereids and Kangly.

The Khereids and Naimans were at the same level of
social and political development. They formed into independent states, or
uluses, and each of them had their own territory. Important parts of the ulus
borders were protected. Khans had their personal summer and winter pastures.

Khan’s residence (Horde) was of great importance in
the Khereid and Naiman states. The Naiman and Khereid states were governed by
customary law. In the khanates the paperwork existed. Documents were set with a
seal, especially in the collection of taxes and the appointment of officials.
Positions among the aristocracy, as usual, were handed down. The adoption of Christianity
by the Khereids and Naimans shows a high level of social and cultural
development. Social differentiation and consolidation of related tribes led to
the formation of early feudal states: the Khereid Ulus and the Naiman Ulus.

In the end of the 12th century the political rise of
Temujin occurred. After defeating the Tatars, in 1203 he conquered the Khereids,
and in 1206 defeated the Naimans. Defeated Naiman tribes led by Kuchlug moved
to the Altai, where they joined the Khereid and Merkit groups.

In 1209 the Kara-Khitans in an unfavorable time for
them had to wage a war against Mohammed Khwarezmshah. The Kara-Khitan Khanate
was in a very difficult position. In 1210 Mohammed Khwarezmshah in alliance
with the Samarkand Khan Usman attacked the Kara-Khitan army near the Talas. The
Kara-Khitan leader Tayanku was captured, and the army was forced to retreat.

In 1211 Kuchlug and khans allied with him captured the
Gurkhan. After two years, the last Gurkhan Zhilugu died. The Kara Khitan state
ceased to exist. Less than a century of existence of the Kara-Khitan Khanate
had no appreciable impact on the economy, social life and culture of the
region.

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